LeBron: Jordan inspired me, but Iverson was 'the god'

LeBron James has long considered Michael Jordan one of his heroes, but he isn't the only superstar he drew inspiration from as a kid.

Having grown up in similar circumstances, James says Allen Iverson was the one player he related to, and credits the Hall of Fame guard for paving the way for athletes to express themselves in today's NBA.

"He represented what black kids were all about, and he resonated with every inner-city kid in the world who had a struggle," LeBron told Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins. "Michael Jordan inspired me, and I looked up to him, but he was out of this world. A.I. was really the god."

While Iverson was undoubtedly great on the court, his impact off of it may have been more profound. He was arguably more influential as a cultural icon than any athlete of his generation.

James isn't the only All-NBA player who looked up to Iverson, as two-time MVP Steph Curry has admitted that he "emulated" the four-time scoring champ in his younger years.